


Noon Time

by hariboo



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff, Gen, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-23
Updated: 2012-11-23
Packaged: 2017-11-19 08:17:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/571134
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hariboo/pseuds/hariboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They sit for lunch together everyday now.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Noon Time

Red walks into the library and sneezes. The place is dusty as hell. From behind one of the far stalks Belle’s head pops out. 

“Ruby!” She hops down from her little step stool, dusting her hands off on her floaty blue dress. Ruby sneezes again. Belle tries to cover her grin. She fails. Ruby doesn’t hold it against her, by now she doesn’t even have to announce her presence when she walks in the library. The reopening is slow going, but it makes Belle happy.

“Lunch time?” Belle asks, eyeing the bag Ruby is holding. 

Ruby nods, rubbing her nose. God, she can’t wait until Belle is done fixing up this place.   
“Yeah, I thought we’d see how you feel about roast beef today.”

Belle chuckles, face lighting up, and makes her way over to Ruby. It’s kinda become their little thing: trying to figure Belle likes and doesn’t like. So far the list of likes consists of: waffles over pancakes and pro french toast, poached eggs or scrambled, oranges over apples, chocolate in any form, especially in the form of Granny’s brownies. She likes orange juice, prefers red wine over white (that was fun night), and tea over coffee. Dislikes: cauliflower, mayonnaise, fish-sticks, and she leaves the bacon for Ruby when they share breakfast. 

“Sounds excellent, let’s eat upstairs,” Belle says. With a nod she's leading Ruby towards the back where the thin stairway leading up to the small apartment she’s been fixing up is. Ruby sneezes again.

Belle giggles. “I’m sorry, I should be done cleaning up by the end of the week. Upstairs is much better.”

“It’s fine,” Ruby waves Belle’s concern away; her senses have been on high alert since the curse broke. “It’s nice to see this place with some life again. Not that I ever actually saw it with life…”

"I got it."

Beaming, Belle squeezes past Ruby, brown curls brushing Ruby’s arm — they tickle, tingle — and opens her door with a flourish and a small _ta-da!_

Ruby walks in, Belle at her hells. Her voice lilts up at the edges of her words when she's nervous.

“It’s not much, right now, and the furniture could use some sprucing. Marco is coming over to give it all a look-see, but it’s clean and I have my first groceries.” Belle murmurs. 

“It looks great, Belle.” Ruby smiles at her, waiting for the small pleased and proud smile that will twitch at the— And there is it. She nods towards the kitchen. Belle goes to the fridge, pulling out a pitcher of orange juice, it looks fresh squeezed (and probably is), setting it on the table and flits around grabbing plates and glasses. She looks sure of herself. Maybe for one of the few times since she showed up at the diner. Ruby thinks it looks good on her, that sureness; she might not know her favourite flavour of ice-cream yet, but Belle knows herself.

Ruby starts to pull out the sandwiches out of the bag and sets them on the plates. Hers is the thicker one. Belle doesn’t eat as much meat as she now does. (Ruby pre-curse barely touched meat outside the burgers they served at the dinner; too fatty. How different she way, how similar she sometimes still feels.

Sandwiches served, she pulls out the pie-cherry. Belle pours the drinks; the glasses have little swirls of colour. Must be from Paul, the glass blower in town, he made her wolf. She wonders who he used to be.

“You didn’t have to bring me pie.”

Ruby shrugs. “Last slice left and we already know you like it.”

Belle’s cheeks pink. “Thank you.”

“Hey, right now you’re my best costumer. Gotta keep you interested," she smirks like Ruby does and Red never did.

Chuckling, cheeks still pink, Belle sits. The table is small, unlike the wide booth of the diner, and their knees bump. Ruby flicks her nails — they’re growing so much faster now; it's a shame, since the the smell of her favourite red nail polish makes her sick now, too. — at the lone sunflower in the vase. 

“Pretty.”

“Happy gave me that just yesterday; no reason at all. I like flowers, but…” Belle trails off, picking up her sandwich. Ruby pushes the container with the garden salad to her. She brought fries for herself. They both know why Belle doesn’t go to the flower shop.

Ruby takes a huge bite of her sandwich. The meat is juicy and just this side of rare. Belle takes a dainty bite. Ruby grins, her mouth full, at the sight. She really was a princess. Even Snow, at her most ravenous, would eat with such grace. 

“You know, if you want, I’ll pick up some flowers next time I come by. What’s your favourite?”

“Ruby…” she says, cheeks flushing, “you don’t have to do that.”

“Eh, it’s nothing.”

Belle grins like she knows it’s not nothing. Ruby feels something in her chest purr. “Your… allergies.”

“They don’t bug me much, only when it’s too many different scents.”

Belle seems to consider this but doesn’t say anything else on the subject, switching it quickly to ask about David— Charming and how his efforts are going. Ruby lets her. She doesn’t want to push and in the end Belle will want what she wants. Flowers or otherwise. 

They finish lunch, lingering over the pie — Belle splits the generous slice in half, handing Ruby a fork — and some tea that Ruby doesn’t finish before she has to head back. As they walk downstairs Belle telling her she’ll be by for dinner and Ruby leans against the door jam. 

“You’re really making something of this, Belle.” She waves toward the darkened library; the shelves look almost like ghostly pillars who have been waiting for someone to breathe life into them. 

“Thanks, Ruby," Belle says, ducking her head, mouth curving into another proud smile. "I’ll see you at dinner.”

“Mac and cheese, trust me, you’ll love it,” walking backwards, Ruby winks.

Belle grins, “If you say so.” Ruby takes a few more steps back about to turn so she doesn’t cause a car crash when Belle calls out to her again. Ruby stops, keeping her eyes on Belle's. 

“Roses were my favourite, but not anymore.”

“Okay…” 

“I don’t think I want flowers anymore.”

Laughing, Ruby nods. “Then?”

“I really do like the cherry pie.”

“Cherry pie it is.” Ruby says, waving. 

The next day she goes over to Belle’s for lunch she brings turkey, mash potatoes, gravy, cherry pie, and a cactus. It’s not a flower, just a plant, and it doesn’t make her sneeze at all. Belle looks at her, shakes her head and smiles. 

“You brought a cactus.”

Ruby grins, lips wide and bright red. “It’s not a flower.” 

Belle’s eyes flit up to hers and slowly they seem to brighten. “No, no it’s not, but some of them bloom them.”

Ruby cringes, "Sorry."

Belle grins, "It's perfect," and grabs for it, cradling in her arms. Ruby grins wider.

“Come on, gravy doesn’t travel well. It can spill.”

“Gravy?”

“You’ll love it, trust me.”


End file.
